


Fangs and Feathers

by Solrika



Series: Daemon AU [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Alternate Universe - His Dark Materials Fusion, Blackwatch Era, Daemons, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-18
Updated: 2017-01-18
Packaged: 2018-09-18 08:38:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9377054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solrika/pseuds/Solrika
Summary: The same old story of boys falling in love, just with two extra characters. (Or not. A soul's a soul, even if part of it is outside your body.)





	

“So what’s your daemon supposed to be?” Dulce asks, the first time they meet Genji Shimada, and Jesse near-about dies on the spot.

The daemon in question bares its fangs, and even though neither it or Genji should have the strength to move, Jesse wastes no time in scooping up Dulce into the relative safety of his arms. “Shut up,” he hisses at her, and then to Genji, “I’m sorry, she ain’t got no manners.” 

“I’d say so,” Genji croaks, breath rasping out of his ruined throat. If looks could kill, Dulce’d be a little smear on the floor. 

“Sorry,” Jesse repeats, and beats a hasty retreat from the hospital room. 

~

A week later, Jesse returns with a peace offering.

Genji eyes him and Dulce suspiciously when they walk in the door, the daemon looped around his shoulders letting out a low hiss. “What do you want?”

“Thought we could try again,” Jesse says, setting the plastic takeout bag down on Genji’s bedside table. “I brought a gift.” 

He opens the container inside, and Genji stiffens in surprise at the aroma. “Is that ramen?” his daemon demands, ears pricking. She–at least it sounds like a she–has a voice as ruined as her partner, but the eagerness in it delights Jesse anyway. Food is always the best way to someone’s heart.

“Sure is,” Jesse grins, pouring in the fixings and giving the soup a little stir. “Doctor told me you could do solids now, and I thought you’d like something better'n the hospital swill.”

“And I promise I won’t talk,” Dulce adds, and Genji’s daemon makes a noise that sounds suspiciously like a muffled laugh.

“Alright,” Genji says, voice as haughty as if he’s bestowing a generous gift by gracing Jesse with his companionship. “I’ll give you a second chance.”

“Thank ya kindly,” Jesse says, and doesn’t mention that he can see right through the haughtiness. There’s something desperate in how Genji grabs for the ramen–homesickness, maybe–and Jesse can’t miss how quickly his daemon’s eyes warm towards Dulce when she hops up on the bed to deliver their ace: a whole box of mochi. Gabe’s been the only other operative to visit this pair on a non-professional basis, and they have to be starved for kind company.

It’s not polite to say it, though, so Jesse just settles at Genji’s side and digs into his own lunch.

~

Eight weeks later, Jesse catches Genji staring off into space, brows furrowed. It’s not the first time he's seen the Shimada brooding, but usually it’s sadness or anger hovering around his eyes, not worry. Jesse finishes his mouthful of tonkatsu before saying softly, “Somethin’ eatin’ at you?”

Genji doesn’t startle, but his hands do tighten on the sheets, joints whirring. “The Commander came to visit today.”

“Oh.” Jesse makes a face, Dulce pulls her lips back in distaste. “That bastard.”

“Disrespectful,” Genji’s daemon mutters.

“He don’t deserve my respect. Blackwatch commander's th' only one I gotta answer to, anyways,” Jesse answers, stabbing his food with a little more vehemence than it requires. “What’d he say?”

“I need to make up my mind soon.” Genji’s joints whirr again. “He wants to start getting me battle ready. I don’t–” He swallows. 

Dulce and Jesse share a look. “Are you gonna be with Overwatch or Blackwatch?”

“Overwatch.” Shaking his head, Genji sags back against the pillows. “There’s no real choice to be made. I have a debt to repay.” 

“That’s bullshit.” Jesse sets down his food, and dares to lean over and place a hand on Genji’s shoulder. “Listen. Dulce’s a coyote, ‘n’ y’know what that means? We’re tricky. We’re good at gettin’ outta jams. We can find you a way out.” 

Genji stares at him. “You don’t need to risk yourself.”

“’s th’ right thing to do,” Jesse says, and holds the stare, trying to put every ounce of sincerity into it.

Genji is the one who breaks first, his daemon slithering under the covers. “I don’t need your help.”

“Alright. Still.” Jesse sits back, giving Genji’s shoulder one last squeeze before he lets go. “Just say the word.”

Genji’s daemon peeks her head out from under the covers, and even with the scars twisting her muzzle, Jesse can see her sad smile. “We don’t need it. But thank you.”

“Anytime.” Dulce steps delicately over Genji’s legs to nose at his daemon’s snout. “We mean it.”

“Thank you,” she repeats, pauses, says carefully, "My name is Aiko."

"Pretty name," says Dulce, and then, because she can't keep her fool mouth shut, adds, "for a pretty lady."

Both Aiko and Genji snort. To Jesse's relief, the sound is one more of amusement than anger. "We're ugly," Aiko scoffs, and gestures with one tiny, bird-boned paw at the scar tissue and bristles twisting over her skin. 

" _Pretty_ ," Dulce repeats firmly, and it's worth the embarrassment Jesse feels to see Aiko grin.

~

The commanders are fighting again. You can hear Luce's screaming through the wall. Jesse leans against the wall to Gabriel's office and tries to decide if it's worth it to try and eavesdrop. Dulce, bound by no such compunctions, presses her ear to the door. 

"It's about Genji," she mutters. "Sounds like a custody battle."

"Shit." Jesse taps at Peacekeeper's holster. He's seen Genji in his new body--all sleek armor and powerful muscle, and Aiko besides him with her bristles grown out into lustrous black feathers that glint green in the right light. He still doesn't have any idea of what she's supposed to be, but there's no denying they make an impressive pair.

"He's Overwatch's asset, though," Jesse says to Dulce, though the idea of Genji stuck with the bluecoats makes the words sour in his mouth. They're the type to do anything they want and think it's fine because it's for the greater good. At least Blackwatch doesn't lie to itself like that.

"That's what Gabriel's mad 'bout." Dulce swivels her ears, listening intently. "Says he'll be better with us." Her ears prick. "Oh! That's nice!"

"What's nice?"

"We're one'a Gabe's reasons." Dulce glances back over her shoulder at Jesse, eyes delighted. "We 'improve Genji's morale.'"

"That so," Jesse murmurs, and can't help his eyes from crinkling in a smile. Or his body from pumping a fist in the air. At least Dulce looks just as silly in her happiness, her whole ass wagging along with her tail. If Gabe's willing to use it in an argument, then Genji and Aiko really _do_ like them. 

That's worth dancing for.

~

It’s thousands of lunches and seven shared missions later that Genji says, “She used to be a crow.” 

Jesse’s Blackwatch, so he doesn’t freeze with his mouth full of field rations, but it’s a close deal. “Suits you,” he says instead. “They’re clever birds.”

“Common birds. It made the elders angry.” Genji huffs out a humorless laugh, looking down at the tangle of scales and feathers and scars in his lap. “We’re not so common anymore.” 

“Still clever,” Dulce says. 

It must be the right thing, because Aiko uncurls a little to brush her snout against Dulce’s nose. Dulce licks her back, and Aiko’s ensuing sneeze makes Genji laugh out loud, shadows chased from his eyes. Jesse has to force himself to swallow.

~ 

Dulce’s fur is blood-matted under Jesse’s hand, and he gasps and tries to breathe past the absence tipping his balance sideways. Gabe shouts somewhere besides them, Luce’s scream of anger cutting through the noise of gunshots, and when Genji tightens the tourniquet Jesse doesn’t know whether it’s him or Dulce that yowls in pain. 

“I’m taking you to the transport,” Genji says. Even with the mask on, Jesse can read the fear in his voice, see it in how Aiko bristles on his shoulders. “Hold on, okay?”

“’m arm’s off,” Jesse slurs. 

“Yeah,” Genji says, and hauls him upright. There’s a brief pause, and then Genji reaches down with his other hand and scoops up Dulce, cradling her to his chest. 

“Huh,” Jesse says, because no one’s ever dared to touch her like that before.

“You can kill me later,” Genji bites out, and Aiko tangles herself around Dulce’s ruined forelegs, holding them steady as they set off across the battlefield. 

It seems terribly important to let Genji know that killing is the furthest thing from Jesse’s mind. Their points of contact are warm, keeping the pain in his arm at bay, and the slickness of Genji’s armor against Dulce’s fur feels right in a way that Jesse’s only experienced before when Luce lets him hide under her wing. He swallows, tries to work his voice out of his throat, and manages, “Rather kiss ya.”

“What?” Genji’s distracted, hauling Jesse’s ass to safety. 

Jesse tries again anyways. This isn’t the time or place for declarations of love, but. Well. Blood loss does funny things to logic. “Rather’d kiss ya, sweetheart.”

“Then you’d better stay alive to do it,” Genji bites out, gripping him closer.

“Okay,” Jesse says, as much because the chance of kissing Genji sounds wonderful as to try and quell the fear in Genji’s voice. “I’ll stick ‘round.”

“Good,” Genji says, and hauls him inside the transport. Aiko presses her forehead against Dulce’s before the medics whisk her away. Something wet drips onto her fur.

Jesse’s legs are getting shaky (shakier) and his vision is going dark, but Dulce manages to croak out, “Hey now, don’ cry, darlin’.”

“Stickin’ ‘round,” Jesse adds, pitching into the waiting hands of the medics. His arm’s throbbing, the pain reaching out to drag him down.

“I’m holding you to that, cowboy,” Genji says, and before Jesse falls under, cool fingers give his remaining hand a squeeze.


End file.
